A Progressive Duck's take on Politics, Media, History, Rock and Roll and whatever else I feel like quacking about

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Two Recoveries

This article from Bob Woodruff talks about the struggles of our wounded veterans returning from Iraq:

Navigating the military and veterans health-care system can be daunting and sometimes downright maddening for the families of wounded veterans.

"It's almost like a scavenger hunt," said Sarah Wade, whose husband, Sgt. Ted Wade, lost an arm and suffered a traumatic brain injury when his Humvee was hit by an improvised explosive device, IED, nearly three years ago.

"I'm still trying to recover what I've lost, and I'm still trying to reorganize myself," Ted said.

Sarah dropped out of college and quit her job so she could advocate full time for her husband's care.

"It's taken a toll on me physically. It's been really, really hard," she said.

Recall the comments of Rep. Young, R-FL-10: we were made to feel very uncomfortable," said Young, about asking questions of the staff. Then he ran away. Gee, you useless coward, that must have been really hard work.

But has anybody noticed that Bob Woodruff is recovered enough to go back to work, while the people in the military having suffered the same sort of injuries, are scavenging aid and benefits through the VA healthcare system, and still trying to recover?

Why can't the people that we paid to put in this place without their choice, compared to Woodruff who wanted to be there, why can't we get those people standing and falling in our stead taken proper care of, made whole again?